Movement and stillness in nature; a different approach to the summit.

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From 365 Tao: Daily Meditations:

#72 Discovery

Seize the mountain spirits,

Make them divulge their secrets.

Only with strength is there discovery.

The scriptures say the mountains contain the answers. Generations of seekers have gone into the wilderness and have encountered spirits both benevolent and terrible. Though the possibility of great discovery is mixed with the threat of misadventure, we must all go into the mountains to seek these answers.

We should understand that these mountains represent the unknown aspects of our own minds. Meditation is a process of discovery, of slowly exploring how you function as a human being. Through walking in the vastness of this land, you can resolve the problems of your psyche and seek the treasures buried in your soul. Like actual mountain exploration, this process is not without danger. Failure means falling into insanity and obsession. Success is to find treasures without comparison anywhere in the world.

People ask, “Is meditation necessary?” If you want to explore the innermost parts of your mind and ascertain who you really are, there is no more ideal method. Mere introspection is not deep enough, and psychological counseling will not necessarily bring you face to face with all parts of yourself. Only the depth and solitude of meditation can help you learn everything. Discoveries are there. We need only enter the mind to find them.-Deng Ming-Dao

Like this:

A mountain biking mecca, Galbraith Mtn has dozens of trails with new ones being built on the heels of loggers every month or so. There are all levels. I typically stick to the cross country style single track with dogs in hot pursuit.

With my old hard-tail in the shop and a clearing in the skies, I thought I would inaugurate my stout steel road/touring/kind-of-cyclocross/station wagon of a bike. Started out on the gravel roads and it climbed beautifully with inverted tread 35 tires.Then I just couldn’t resist…Even on a wet day, the bike did surprisingly well. Slowly, but I never had to carry. Maybe that rack on the back gave some extra traction. Here’s the mud shot:Pretty fun!!!